If you were blown away by the liquid gold-like movements of rising star choreographer Raghav Handa in Sydney Dance Company’s New Breed showcase last year, or Sydney Festival show Double Delicious, then you'll get another chance to wtahc his work in action at Riverside Theatres this February.
Handa's new work Two turns the Indian dance tradition of Kathak on its head, fusing it with contemporary influences. He flips the usual understanding of the smooth-moving storytelling form, placing the control over the performance at the feet of the dancer, rather than the usual dynamic of the dancer being led by the musician. He’ll perform alongside regular collaborator and tabla player Maharshi Raval in this head-spinner presented by Form Dance Projects and Performing Lines, playing at the Riverside Theatres in Parramatta from February 18 to 20. Hop to it – anything can happen when Handa’s keeping Raval on his toes.
“With Two, I wish to stretch the limits of musician/dancer interactions, which speak not only to the principles of Indian Kathak, but also interrogate the shifting power relationships that transcend cultural specificities,” Handa says. “My hope is that audiences will appreciate that risk and discomfort can nurture growth and enrichment.”